Cheyenne River Sioux Chairman Harold Frazier Calls for Dismissal of Army Corps of Engineer District Commander

EAGLE BUTTE, SOUTH DAKOTA — In a scathing letter dated November 2, 2016 and addressed to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Secretary of the Army, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Chairman Harold Frazier is calling for the immediate release of Commander and District Engineer of the Omaha District, Colonel John W. Henderson.

Colonel John W. Henderson

In his letter, Chairman Frazier write: “…in light of Colonel Henderson’s completely unprofessional, insulting, and perhaps illegal conduct, I demand his immediate removal from the Omaha District as he is unfit to handle a sensitive issue of this magnitude and has a proven incapacity to deal respectfully and maturely with Indian people.”

Chairman Frazier was writing in response to the militarization of law enforcement that was approved by Colonel Henderson. When Chairman Frazier called Colonel Henderson to as a jurisdictional question, the chairman was met with statements by Henderson accusing American Indians of slaughtering a buffalo, which has not been proven.

Further, Chairman Frazier says Henderson “accused the Tribe of violating the Rivers and Harbors Act because several demonstrators had constructed a hand-made bridge to cross the small tributary.”

The letter continues: “The fact that he did not understand the difference between individual demonstrators (who may or may not be Indian, let alone members of my Tribe) and the sovereign government of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe should give all of us pause in light of the vast powers this man wields over Indian lands and Indian lives. What is equally appalling is that Colonel Henderson is charged with the management of the Missouri River water system, which only exists because it was created at the expense of Missouri River tribes impacted by the Pick Sloan project. The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe alone had over 104,000 acres of tribal land flooded.”

As of Saturday, there has been no response from the officials at the Pentagon.

About The Author

Levi Rickert, a tribal citizen of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, is the publisher and editor of Native News Online. Previously, he served as editor of the Native News Network. He is a resident of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

4 Comments

izopnyde2 years ago

Let me be the first one to thank Chairman Frazier for stating the obvious militarization of local law enforcement however driven by this person. The the question being, doesn’t the Comander in Chief who is his superior know this stuff all ready? Whose picture is hanging on the colonel’s office wall? Where is the BIA? And what’s their position on this subject?
So are the Dakota People supposed to just keep on taking on the chin? Just how many millions of dollars are these guys willing to waste subjugating The People? Doesn’t the President realize THAT while colonel Pointyhead maybe a fine soldier, he DOES NOT REFLECT 21st centuries civility towards Indigenous Sovereign Peoples in today’s world. Moreover, colonel John IS directly responsible for working to the consternation we find ourselves in as I write. This is no longer 1960 or 1850 and the People are not at war and do not deserve to be vanquished from the land by the United States Government that is theirs once again! Bury my heart at Wounded Knee. Speaking for myself, we need to honor our antiquities not relive the horrors of the past in real time. So why is the government at war with the People? I’m sorry his educational opportunities were stilted, forcing him into a position that he’s completely unsuited to his nature witnessed by his actions up to NOW. The entire United States of America is being held hostage to this persons ego! Mr President we want a respectable peace not a occupational force. And Mr Pesident THIS IS SOMETHING YOU HAVE CONTROL OF. But be that said, everyone has a boss and there’s a lot of real estate between these two officers and ONLY YOU Mr President can close this chaotic gap. If mr P wants to keep his job he’d better shape up or ship out. I can’t imagine what the ego of a Trump Presidentcy would bring.
How about getting out too vote your choice of who is to be in the leadership positions that WE MUST FOLLOW as Americans of all stripes. All aboard?
Don’t drink poisoned water, don’t breathe poisoned air and don’t eat poisoned food. It’s not good for you and your family. Love and cherish each other and your animals every day. Protect the forest. Be vigilant and honest with your dealings. Be secure in the knowledge of who you are. May the peace you hold in your heart quell the fears and ghosts of your mind.
I stand with The Dakota and the People of Standing Rock
I stand with The People of Puerto Rico
I stand with The People of the Navajo Nation
Hillary, take the letter from the children of Lower Brule. So we can begin the healing again.
This Democracy is our way.
Come together, take control of your family’s future and V O T E !
Thanks again Chairman Frazier
izopnyde

This is a very important issue that should have immediate attention . Removal should take place and someone put in this position while investigation is ongoing. The tribes/nations are protesting not violent. The insulting and dispicable way they are treated is wrong. The subject of the protest is for a universal nature and for the preservation of our greatest need for life clean water.

Lena Toledo2 years ago

What an interesting turn of events spearheaded by Harold Frazier, an eloquent Tribal Chairman for the Sioux. Yes, the Oahe Dam caused untold economic deprivation for the Tribes affected and invited somewhat buried historical trauma as is being perpetrated by DAPL’s intentional urination and defecation of collected sacred ritual objects. America is facing unfathomable crisis not seen on major networks pending this election. We should all be very worried about what is being predicted to take place which will dwarf this DAPL standoff.

richard smith2 years ago

Yes, I absolutely agree. The President should be petitioned by the people And petitioned by all government elected officials who agree. Like Bernie Sanders, for instance. The President has the authority, as commander in chief, to appoint and dismiss any and all commanders in any dept. whenever he chooses, for whatever reason. That’s the way the service works, all 5 branches.

Help support Native News Online by clicking on our sponsors' advertisements.

Please Help Support The Native News Online

Enter amount (USD)

Facebook Likes

Subscribe to Native News Online

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.